Contrasting splendors at New York City Ballet: Robbins and Balanchine

Tiler Peck and Chun Wai Chan in Jerome Robbins’ The Goldberg Variations

Emma Von Enck and Ashley Hod in Jerome Robbins’ The Goldberg Variations

Olivia MacKinnon in George Balanchine's Tschaikovsky Suite No.3

By Carla Escoda, 08 October 2025

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“the women were swept up and off into the wings in a variety of lifts that blossomed in slow motion”

Reviewed at Lincoln Center: David H Koch Theater, New York City on 30 September 2025

The Goldberg Variations (Jerome Robbins)

Tschaikovsky Suite No. 3 (George Balanchine)

New York City Ballet

Joe Eula, Costume Designer

Thomas R Skelton, Lighting Designer

New York City Ballet Orchestra

Ashley Hod, Dancer

Emma Von Enck, Dancer

Ashley Laracey, Dancer

Taylor Stanley, Dancer

Isabella LaFreniere, Dancer

Tyler Angle, Dancer

Megan Fairchild, Dancer

Anthony Huxley, Dancer

Miriam Miller, Dancer

Emilie Gerrity, Dancer

Preston Chamblee, Dancer

Daniel Ulbricht, Dancer

Ryan Tomash, Dancer

Understatement and spectacle at New York City Ballet

Carla Escoda, 26th February

Jerome Robbins' Dances at a Gathering and George Balanchine's Diamonds make a study in contrasts. With lots of debuts in the former and seasoned leads in the latter.

*****

Irresistible: Justin Peck’s The Wind-Up premieres at NYCB

Carla Escoda, 29th January

Never has Justin Peck seemed more compositionally assured, and paradoxically freer, than in his latest ballet, breaking the mold of past work that mostly celebrated the camaraderie of his generation.

****1

Dutch National Ballet's opener in New York: meandering and unfocused

Ivy Lin, 20th November

Dutch National Ballet returning to New York after more than 40 years should have been thrilling. The opening program, whilst beautifully danced, was somewhat muted.

***11

London City Ballet at the Linbury: joy and sorrow at its best

Deborah Weiss, 19th November

London City Ballet move into a new venue with absolute confidence and gravitas in a quadruple bill that says everything about their future and success.

*****

The Australian Ballet in Melbourne: three prismatic worlds

Ruth Ridgway, 4th October

In its triple bill Prism, The Australian Ballet gives the audience three different dance and sound worlds as well as showcasing fleet, athletic and precise dancing.

****1

The inspired and the prosaic at Fall for Dance at New York City Center

Carla Escoda, 20th September

A perfect triple bill became a less perfect quadruple bill. Brilliant performances by dancers from Gibney, kNoname Artist, Paris Opera étoiles rarely seen in New York and – a rarity these days – live musicians.

****1

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Carla Escoda

Born in the Philippines, Carla trained as a ballet and modern dancer with the Alice Reyes Dance Company in Manila. She has lived and worked in Asia and the U.S. and has written about the arts for Bachtrack, KQED (the northern California public media broadcaster), Dance International, dance journal/hk, the Huffington Post, Dance Europe and ballettothepeople.